The Oyo State Government has urged pet owners to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies, emphasizing the importance of preventing the deadly disease.
Olasunkanmi Olaleye, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, made this appeal on Tuesday in Ibadan during the 2024 World Rabies Day commemoration. He advised all dog and cat owners who haven’t vaccinated their pets to visit veterinary centers across the state immediately.
“The best way to prevent rabies in humans is by vaccinating dogs and cats at least once a year,” Olaleye stated, adding that human rabies deaths are entirely preventable with timely pet vaccinations.
He also highlighted that it is illegal, under the Oyo State Dog Law 2019, to allow dogs to roam without supervision, urging the public to keep their dogs confined and vaccinated regularly.
Olaleye warned that failing to vaccinate pets annually constitutes a violation of the Oyo State Dog Law 2019, which carries penalties of up to a N250,000 fine, six months imprisonment, or both. He emphasized that over 70% of infectious diseases in humans originate from animals, underscoring the state’s commitment to controlling rabies and other zoonotic diseases through an inclusive approach.
